Disabled teachers make the best disability educators

by Ivano Abbadessa - 2014.01.20

The pilot project 'Inclusive Education' in Germany is teaching people with intellectual disabilities how to teach. It equips them with the right qualifications to give lessons on disability and accessibility at universities and higher education institutions that train social workers and teachers, who often lack practical knowledge of these issues. Consequently, there are often difficulties in achieving effective inclusion. The initiative is being developed over the next three years by the Drachensee Foundation. The first group of disabled students will undergo two years of full-time training. Their aim is to acquire teaching skills and learn how to share their needs and life experiences in a professional way with those who will become the future experts in pedagogy. In the long term, the project also aims to ensure sustainable positions for teachers with disabilities. The organisers hope the initiative will soon be rolled out across the entire German education system.

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